Redemption
by RegalReader2405
Summary: A short exercise to improve my writing skills, constructive criticism welcome! If anyone would like me to continue this as a proper fic, comment below. :)


**A/N: This was just a short exercise for me to practice my writing, but if anyone wants me to continue it let me know.**** If anyone has ideas on how I can improve, please comment below or send me a PM :) thank you and I hope you enjoy!  
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The emergency bells were designed to be heard in every corner of their kingdom, but the sound was almost drowned out by the screaming of frightened peasants and the clashing of armour as her knights fought against the intruders overtaking the castle. _Where are they?_

As she shuffled through the hallway, a chill ran down her spine. A storm was coming. She could see the ominous clouds growing in the distance through the window.

Pain coursed through her with every step. Steeling herself against the deep ache in her stomach, she kept stumbling on through the castle. She heard the unmistakable sounds of fighting coming from the chamber at the end of the corridor, a place that was supposed to hold only the cheerful burbling of a baby and the contented murmuring of happy parents.

_I will always find you_

As she hobbled closer, the clashing stopped. Wary of being caught in such a weakened state by a potential enemy, she hid behind the open door of a vacant room. Footsteps echoed across the empty passage as one of the combatants hurried past her hiding place, slowly receding down the corridor until silence reigned. Cautious, she slowly continued towards the chamber. The sight of a body lying on the floor caused her heart to speed up. A gasp left her lips as she recognised the form of her husband sprawled on the stone, arm outstretched with his sword beside him.

An unearthly wail echoed through the corridor as she fell to the ground, sobbing. "No! No no nononononono…..."

Using her last reserves of strength, she crawled towards the prone figure and lifted his head onto her lap. Ignoring the agony that lanced through her abdomen at the action, she lifted trembling fingers to his mouth and sighed as she felt the faint air that escaped from between his lips. He was alive. _He won't live very long, though, will he? _A sneering voice whispered in her head,_ not with a gaping wound on his shoulder._

Her heart broke as she saw that the wound was indeed deep. Blood was steadily pulsing from it in great rivers, and her hands could not stem the tide.

"I will always find you", she whispered as she clung to him, her tears mingling with the blood staining his shirt. She could feel his heart beating irregularly beneath her hand, fluttering weakly as it fought to live. She prayed to every deity she had ever believed in or heard of to keep him alive, keep him with her.

The clatter of footsteps approaching rang dimly through the haze of pain and grief that clouded her mind. Black Knights rushed in and surrounded her as she knelt on the floor of what was supposed to be her daughter's nursery, clinging to her True Love. Two of the Knights ran over to the wardrobe and yanked open its doors while the rest watched.

"Well?"

She immediately recognised the voice that cut through the fog surrounding her thoughts. It was the voice that soothed her nightmares as a child, sending her off to dreamland with a smile on her face. The same voice she had heard slowly fill with hatred over the years, until the voice that once chased off her nightmares _became_ the nightmare, haunting her sleep as the woman she once hoped to call mother sank further and further into darkness.

The Evil Queen stormed into the room. "The child?" she demanded, her dark eyes fixed on the Black Knight blocking her view of the wardrobe. The Knight turned to face her and shook his head. "Gone."

The Queen turned towards Snow White, her eyes flashing.

"Where is she?!" she hissed.

Snow smiled through her tears. "She-she got away." The relief she felt was overwhelming. Her baby was safe; Emma had escaped the Evil Queen's clutches.

Snow grinned triumphantly up at her stepmother. "You are going to lose. Good _always _defeats Evil!"

The Evil Queen smirked. "We'll see about _that._"

Magic suddenly whirled around them as she cackled, blowing at Snow's dress and the Queen's elaborate hair do. The walls cracked and the ceiling caved in, magic blowing violently every which way as the center of the enchanted storm hit the castle walls. Darkness shrouded everything as streaks of purple light flashed sporadically through the chaos. Snow's heart dropped as she recognised the magic. It was the same magic that accompanied The Queen every time she transported herself away, albeit on a much larger scale.

Terrified, Snow yelled to be heard above the din. "Where are we going?! Where are you taking us?!"

The Queen beamed at the chaos her curse had wrought. "Somewhere _horrible_!" she cried gleefully. "A place where the only happy ending will be _mine._"

The darkness pressed in around them, whirling faster and faster. The stained-glass windows shattered and the shards joined the debris flying around the Queen, loyal minions aimed to tear and wound. As the deadly fragments flew at Snow's face, the darkness closed in and she knew no more.


End file.
